Varnu Heartleaf

So here he is again. Varnu Heartleaf, the Pariah, first of several WE Characters I will be developing.

Varnu Heartleaf, the Pariah.

Profile:

Mv: 9
WS: 6
BS: 6
S: 4
T: 4
W: 3
I: 9
A: 4/5
Ld: 9
AS: 4+/3+
Pts: 240

Composition: Counts as both a Hero and a Rare Choice.

Basic Equipment: Longbow.

Magic Items:

Varnu’s Spites:Though shunned by the Asrai, Forest Spirits bear no grudge on Varnu. Indeed, he is never truly alone. When he left Athel Loren he was followed by a band of Spites who he tried many times to send back but they have stuck by him through all of his adventures. He has long since accepted their company and they have helped him escape many a tricky situation.

The Spites accompanying Varnu follow the rules for both a Murder of Spites and a Muster of Malevolents.

Eclipsocas, Armour of the Sun:This suit of mystical gromil armour was forged by the Dwarfs of Karak Norn in the time when dwarfs and elves still shared an alliance. Made for an elven hero, in battle the ancient runes carved across its surface blaze white hot and few can escape being blinded by its light. Foes are hard pressed to even see the wearer let alone strike him.

Eclipsocas gives Varnu a 4+ Armour Save. In addition, models wishing to attack Varnu in Close Combat can only do so on a To Hit roll of 6+.

The Swords of Du’Sarn:Forged in the time when Bretonnia still allied itself with the elves of Athel Loren, these twin swords are a masterpiece. As the last hammer beats fell upon the molten swords both the Lady of the Lake and Queen Ariel themselves laid a spell upon the swords, sealing an ancient spirit within the hot metal of each. Once roused by the scent of battle, the sleeping spirits will let nothing stand between them and the flesh of their enemies, cleaving through the thickest of armour.

Armour Saves cannot be taken against wounds inflicted by the Du’Sarn. Ward saves may be taken as normal.

Special Rules:

Asrai Archery, Forest Walker and Member of the Alter Kindred (benefits included in profile).

The Nature of Adventure:Varnu has traveled across most of the known world. Whether he seeks answers to nameless questions or merely craves adventure, no-one other than him truly knows. During his travels Varnu has witnessed and participated in many astounding events. Some have been wondrous but most were horrific. Over the many decades, Varnu has grown immune to most horrors and developed a sometimes dangerous unwillingness to back down.

Varnu is Immune to Fear and Panic and is also Stubborn.

Pariah:Because of both his heritage and his desire to roam beyond Athel Loren, Varnu is frowned upon by other Elves and shunned by the other races, yet many still make use of his skills.

Varnu can never use the General’s Leadership and all units (both enemies and friends) not Immune to Psychology within 6” of Varnu suffer -1 to their Leadership. He also cannot join or be joined by units that are not Immune to Psychology.

BACKGROUND:

The Pariah

Varnu Heartleaf is the only son of Edotsou Warmane. Edotsou was the late Lord of the Sintharsel Kinband. As such, Varnu is also half-brother to the current leader, Treena Songbird.

While Treena’s mother was the Elven Princess, Tinaith Songbird, Varnu’s mother was a lady from the country of Bretonnia. Edotsou had met Varnu’s mother when his Kinband fought alongside a Bretonnian army against a marauding band of Beastmen. They had descended from the mountains around Foul Peak south of the Dukedom of Quenelles and had begun laying waste to everything they found. Not only that, they were heading quickly toward Athel Loren.

Though surprised by the assistance of the elves, the then Duke of Quenelles never the less was grateful. When the battle was won, the Duke would not have the elves leave without first commemorating their efforts. Edotsou would have refused but for the Duke’s Lady. She was touched by the Lady of the Lake and was blessed with beauty beyond that of other human females. He sent the rest of his Kinband homeward to their halls in the Winter Glades of Athel Loren but at the Lady’s request, though his disdain for humans raged within him, he remained behind and accepted the Duke’s celebration. He did, of course, leave as soon as he could.

He returned to his halls and his own lady, but for some reason he did not understand he could not forget the memory of the Bretonnian Lady. Unbeknownst to him, she was a Maiden of the Lake and had laid upon him a web of enchantment. She had seen a time when an Elven Hybrid would save both their realms and Edotsou would be its father. When, a few years later, her Lord and his army rode to battle in a distant land, leaving her virtually alone she called upon her web, knowing Edotsou would be inspired to return. A week later he arrived. He slipped easily past the guards and the only person to see him arrive and leave was the Lady whom he had come to see.

A short time later the Lady’s magic allowed her to know she was pregnant long before the first visible signs would alert the Duke’s suspicion. When he returned a week later, she told him she had received a sign from the Lady of the Lake and must return to the place were she became a Damsel. A year later she returned to her Duke, giving her body time to lose its post-pregnancy appearance. Meanwhile in Athel Loren, Edotsou returned to his hall after leaving once more. But upon this return he was not alone. With him he brought an elven babe whom he nurtured along side his daughter who had been born the previous year. Unfortunately, Tinaith Songbird had passed away after the difficult birth of Treena.

Half elf, half human, Varnu was frowned upon by the all the Asrai since he was a small child. Though he is visibly more elf than human, his heritage is evident in his slightly thicker build and greater toughness. He is as skilled with a bow and sword as any other Asrai but none will acknowledge the fact. Even his own father grew cold towards him, believing he shamed himself for allowing a human, and a female at that, to bewitch him.

Nor did Varnu understand why the other Asrai shunned him so. He did not know that Edotsou had made it known that Varnu was never to be told the story of his birth. Everyone knew, even those younger than him but Varnu did not. Even his sister, the one person who truly cared for him could not tell him.

Many speculate that this is what pushed him towards becoming a member of the Laith-Kourn. But he has taken his solitary life to greater extremes than even the Alter Kindred, leaving Athel Loren and traversing the lands beyond, even sailing to far off counties. The shock this has caused within Athel Loren was great indeed. Many of the Kindred leaders beseeched Queen Ariel and King Orion to permanently exile Varnu, but neither would sanction their wishes. Nor would they explain why they would not.

Varnu has traveled to the distant realms of Nippon were he discovered the Sword of Du’Sarn which had been lost for many centuries, believed by many to be destroyed. He has crossed the great World Pond and fought beside his ancestral relatives, the Elves of Ulthuan against a Naggaroth raiding fleet before later joining another such fleet and sailing with it to Naggaroth to visit the home of his darker kin. Here he proved himself worthy of being admitted entry to the assassins’ temple were he studied for many months. In the mines of Karak Norn he helped to stem a tide of Skaven from overrunning the Dwarfs, who out of gratitude bestowed upon him Eclipsocas, Armour of the Sun. And many a Militia General has been grateful for his help. But for all his adventures and the peoples he has met, he is never truly accepted anywhere.

He spent many decades away from and completely out of touch with his woodland kin. For this reason alone many of the Asrai were astounded when out of the blue he appeared suddenly at his father’s halls one night. Edotsou had been ailing for months and the healers had pronounced him close to death early that day. So when Varnu appeared that night and it was found that he already knew about his father, many found it strange or disturbing at worse.

At midnight Edotsou had summoned Varnu to him. No other had been allowed in the chambers all night. Two hours before dawn Varnu left his father’s hall, shaken and cold. It is rumored Edotsou had finally revealed to Varnu the circumstances of his birth and the nature of the Asrai’s distrust of him. He wandered through the forest thinking hard about a great many things. He wanted to leave Athel Loren there and then but instead he returned to his father an hour before dawn where he was also joined by his half-sister Treena. At dawn, Edotsou had passed away with his two children at his side. Later that day, Treena was officially recognized as the kindred’s new leader. Shortly after the celebration of their father’s life and the ceremony of returning him to the forest, Varnu bade his sister good bye and left the forest once more.

Even with the burden of his birth and the weight of his supposed duty, even with the distrust from his kin and all other peoples, Varnu always returns every few decades to the halls of his sister for he still regards Athel Loren as his true home and Treena as his only true friend in the world. And so he awaits the day when his supposed destiny will be fulfilled.

"Though I have strayed far beyond our borders, travelled across the whole world no less, seen many things, some wonderous, others horrifying, I will always return to our home for there is no other place that holds my love."

- Spoken by Varnu Heartleaf, the Lone Warrior, as he returned once more to Athel Loren.

145(wood elf noble)+35(alter kindred that he pretty much has)+50(both spites)+30(armour)+50(weapon)+40(ish, stubborn and fear/panic immune)-35(ish, for ld 9 and the ld drain, as it is a good ability against enemies, might be less of a drain on his cost)

so 315 is a better place to put him, maybe 305 since he is a special character, and they are generally cheaper than their non-special counterparts, but don't push it.

Otherwise, I like the guy, though I haven't read his background yet, focused as I was on his points cost.

"Though I have strayed far beyond our borders, travelled across the whole world no less, seen many things, some wonderous, others horrifying, I will always return to our home for there is no other place that holds my love."

- Spoken by Varnu Heartleaf, the Lone Warrior, as he returned once more to Athel Loren.

He isn't a Highborn. Being the son of the leader of the Kindred he should be but the nature of his birth and the fact that he is shunned by all including his father means he was never allowed to hold that position.

He doesn't have a HB stat line either, he simply has an extra wound due to being a Special Character and extra Toughness to reflect his Human side.

So what do you think of his background?

"Though I have strayed far beyond our borders, travelled across the whole world no less, seen many things, some wonderous, others horrifying, I will always return to our home for there is no other place that holds my love."

- Spoken by Varnu Heartleaf, the Lone Warrior, as he returned once more to Athel Loren.